


Clue Bus Avoidance

by PattRose



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Angst, Humor, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mild Language, Romance, new years fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-01
Updated: 2013-09-01
Packaged: 2017-12-25 07:05:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/950143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PattRose/pseuds/PattRose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The guys keep missing the clue bus.  It's time that they stop.  </p><p> </p><p>Co-author Kel from My Mongoose Ezines.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Clue Bus Avoidance

Clue Bus Avoidance--Kel and Patt

**Two weeks before New Years Eve**

"Hey, Jim?" Blair Sandburg called out from his desk in Major Crimes. "Got any plans for New Year's Eve?"

Jim panicked for a moment, cringing. _Can't let him know._ "Of course I do, Sandburg. Do I look like someone who would be sitting alone at home on New Year's Eve?"

Blair lowered his eyes, hopes dashed again. "Course not, Jim. Just asking," Blair murmured softly, getting back to work.

_Why did I just lie to my best friend? Ellison, this is an all-time low for you, lying to your Guide over a dateless evening._

The next two weeks flew by and found both men preparing for their busy and exciting evenings.

**New Year's Eve**

Jim picked up his tuxedo and Blair's as well while he was running errands that morning. He didn't know what he was going to do that night, but he'd need to actually leave in a tux and give the appearance that he was going out on the town with a woman. _Why do you do this to yourself, Ellison? Just... tell him how you feel!_

After he got dressed, he went downstairs, and Blair let out a wolf whistle. "Man, that is one lucky lady. You're going to be sweeping her off her feet, Jim. You look great."

"Thanks, Blair," Jim said quietly, blushing under Blair's praise.

"Well, I'm off. You have a good time too. Speaking of that, why aren't you ready, Chief?" He tried to keep the hope out of his voice.

"My date's running behind, so I still have an hour to kill," Blair answered immediately, having prepared the excuse half an hour before and hoping he sounded convincing.

"Lucky you," Jim said, forcing a smile. As he walked through the doorway, he looked over his shoulder at his Guide. "Happy New Year, Blair."

"Thanks, man. And right back at ya," Blair replied, his voice filled with a tinge of something that Jim couldn't put his finger on.

Sighing, Jim drove away, and pulled up later to a favorite pub and got out. He knew that the restaurant had good food, and no one would care if he were in a tux or not, and he could play darts later if he felt like it. Right now, all he felt like doing was sitting back, eating, and trying to forget Blair Sandburg.

When he walked in, Nick Miller--the bartender--smiled. "Hey, Jim. What are you all dressed up for?"

"Is there a chance of me getting a booth away from the flow tonight, Nick?"

"Sure thing, my man, follow me." Nick led the way to a booth as far away from anyone and everyone as he could get. "How's this?"

Jim slid in and sighed. "Thanks, Nick. I owe you."

"Date didn't show?"

"Something like that," Jim said, looking at the menu.

"I'll send the waitress to take your order in a few minutes. In the meantime, you want a brew? Miller Genuine, right? In a bottle?"

"Sounds great, Nick, thanks." Jim continued to examine the menu, looking for exactly what he wanted to eat. _Get over it, Ellison. Sandburg is **not** on the menu._

At the loft, Blair was pacing in his tux, knowing he needed to leave soon in case Jim brought his date home. He sure as hell did **not** want to be here if he showed up with some gorgeous woman. _Why can't he look at me like that?_

Jim had ordered and was waiting for it, drinking from his beer bottle when he heard a familiar heartbeat. _Blair's here? Shit… what am I going to do now?_ His eyes followed his ears and they locked on the figure of his Guide sitting at the bar, realizing he was safe for a few minutes anyway. _Fuck, did the dumb bitch stand him up?_

The waitress brought his dinner and he still hadn't decided on what to do when he heard Blair start to talk. "Nick, have you ever been in love?"

"Well, sure, kid. I've been in love lots of times. Who hasn't?"

"Not me. Just once, and I have to do it with someone that doesn't want me," Blair said sadly, swirling the drink in his glass.

"It didn't work out, Blair?"

"Nope. He doesn't even know I exist. There should be a handbook somewhere for roomies, you know? Who in their right mind falls in love with their **straight** roommate?"

"Blair?" Jim asked, as quietly as he could without causing Blair to have a heart attack.

Blair still jumped off the barstool when he heard Jim's voice, but the Sentinel's hand pressed him back down. "Oh fuck… oh fuck… oh fuck," Blair chanted softly, as he laid his scarlet face down on the bar.

Jim leaned over and surprised his Guide with a kiss on the ear as he whispered. "Come on to the booth. We'll eat. We'll talk." Jim helped Blair over to the booth, guiding him with a hand on his back, afraid that Blair would otherwise take off running.

"Jim... what's going on?" Blair asked, sliding into the booth. "You're not bi. You're not gay. Why are you kissing me?"

"How do you know what I am, Blair?" Jim asked softly.

"Okay, so answer me. Are you bi?"

"Yes."

"And you never thought to mention this little piece of information to me?"

"Why would I? I've not been with a guy since you moved in. I didn't want to scare away the babe magnet. There's enough talk around the bullpen as it was, I didn't need to add to it."

"Well, you suck as a detective, Detective. I've been bisexual since I was seventeen years old. God, I hate you sometimes!"

"Blair? Why are you angry with me?" Jim asked, mystified.

"Because we both pretended we had dates to impress the other one. We were going to be alone, rather than talk to each other. We're pathetic. I have to go home." Blair started to get out of the booth.

"Blair, please don't go," Jim pleaded, giving his Guide his best lost puppy impression.

Blair softened as he saw Jim's expression. "Oh, man, you are **so** going to get it for trying that look on me, Jim Ellison," he said, smiling as he slid into Jim's side of the booth.

Jim reached out and pulled Blair tight against his side and they kissed, breaking and restarting again until both men heard a throat clearing, and Blair quickly scooted away from Jim. "Hey, guys, c'mon. It's not even midnight yet. Aren't you going to save it for then?" he asked with a grin. _About bloody time._

"Hell no! We're leaving now. Nick… thank you for a great time, but we need to go home." Jim pulled Blair out of the booth, and both men hugged the bartender before leaving. 

Blair finally stopped Jim from rushing. "Why are we almost running to your truck, man?"

"If we hurry, we'll be able to be fucking each other senseless by midnight. I want to do that more than anything."

"Oh, in that case… what's the hold up?" Blair asked, racing for the truck. Jim laughed as he followed his soon-to-be-lover.

As they waked through the doorway of 852 Prospect #307, Jim slammed the door shut and looked up at the clock. It was two minutes until midnight. He pulled Blair into his arms and started to kiss him.

Blair pushed him towards the stairs. "Upstairs, big man, upstairs. I want it all… kissing, making love, and fireworks through the skylight. Come on…"

They ran up the stairs together, laughing and stealing kisses and touches. And so ended another tragic case of Clue Bus Avoidance by the lonely and the stupid.

The End


End file.
